Food tendering machine



March 23, 1948. H C. PF|5TER FOOD TENDERING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 16, 1944 March 23, 1948. H. c. PFlsTER FOOD TENDERING MACHINE Filed June 16, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 E l i tllllfllfffllal Mardi 23, 1948. H, C, PFISTER 2,438,184

` Foon TENDERING MACHINE Filed June 16, 1944 4 Sheets-Shedl 3 March 23, 1948. H. c. PFISTER 2,438,184

FOOD '/I'ENDERING MACHINE Filed June 16, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 freeze/22g?" Patented Mar. 23, 1948 UNITED STAT-Ess pg F001) TENDERINGQMAGHNE-f Harry C- P'SterfLong Beacli,'lndl, assfgnortor U; S. SlicngMachinGo a corporation ofel'diana mpanyi La Porte, I-d Y,

tendering machine to destroy anyy bacteria or other foreign organisms which might belodgdd upon the food article being workedluponhy the food tendering machine.

Another object of the invention is tomlovide a food tendering machine incorporating gultra; violet ray emitting. apparatus adapted tojood the interior food receiving portionsoffthelma-, chine with ultraviolet rays, thereby'to; destroy anybaoteria or foreign organisms which may become lodged upon or within portions'of1lshe machine proper;

A further object of the invention is't'o provide a food tendering machine wherein ultraviolet ray emitting means are directed to a food' article (be: ing operated upon within said food tendering machine and are prevented-from escaping ,frorn"thie food ,tendering machine through an opening-in which the food article is inserted.

An additionalA object of` the inventiorrs to provide safety mechanism to prevent operation of the ultraviolet ray emitting apparatus whene' ever the cover ofthe food tendering"macllineis` opened.

Still another object oi the inventionristo pro-i vide additional safety mechanism whichfprevents operation of the ultraviolet ray emitting appa;V ratus even though thedrive motor-forrt'he -food tendering machine may be restarted'whenhe cover is open.

Numerous other objects and'advantagesvwill be apparent throughout the progress ofthefoi` lowing specification.

The accompanying drawings illustrate onejemf-f bodiment of a device incorporating Vthe features of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevationalview Ywithsomeof the parts broken away for the sakeoffcle'arness; n

Fig; 2 is a detail sectionalviewfon-the-line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a right elevational view with someslofl the parts broken awayfor the sake-ofclear; ness;

Fig. i isa right elevational view with' somev of;

the parts broken away for the sake of clearness and illustrates anV alternative embodiment'fof the present invention;

Fig.v 5 is a detail sectional vieweon theline 5 5 of Fig. i with some' of' theparts-"broken-K awayfor the sake Yof clearness;

Figi: 6"i`sV a detail'sectional viewfonetheffline ilmof" Figg5';...and;

Fig.`4 '7 'is .en electrical diagramof' the -'a'lterna= tive :embodimentg illustrated Yin Fig; 4.

The particular device herein.` disclosed-furthe purpose of villustrating-the invention-'is tshown` in combination with-a'meat tenderingtmachine'of. the type j disciosedin" a copending 'application made f by Arthur; H2;Azli1'ndt;" Serial No.v 4555561-, led VAugpst 21; 1942iv (issued^^asj Patent' No: 2,119.9;463; Oct. 152,11946) and assignedtofthe assignee .of the present applicationr,

In tenderiIfj"machinesoirthish typertheientire operating mechanism ordinariiy ,is. .supportedrby,

.and mounted Within 'a vbase'g'l I andiacoverrd l 2) the base. an'dcover, preferab'lybeng made' OPlight metal "stampings `an-diconiignred to *be`V pleas;-` ing ito then eye: The resulting*- assembly toftthe base' 'andi cover may'be supportedl upona -plu' rality ozt'l rubber'tmounting feet I 3;-l andL hinges M 'are' provided l` to' tof'er accessl tothe operatingparts oftliemachin'e'.

Azbracket :gl 5` is provided within-the right-hand side;of:'the"coverl2; anda bracket Hfwith'inq the lefte'hand'sidezo thecover.- These two'brarzlt-` etspreerablyjare r`spot'f-welded to -'t-he interior spaces"oftheMcover-Vand form' a support/forca: U`shaped ultraviolet ray" emitting tube I'I-,frequentlyreferredv to as a- Sterilamp The Sterilamp -l-T is" mounted to -theright-hand braclnelfA llfby` a` plurality --ofA mounting screws I-Bg'ieandi theeleftlhand endof the-Ster-iiamp 'isfsupportedf-in suitably*shapedff-reo'esses `in the.A bracket-46a? fA- U-shapedfSterilamp is `vselected sov thatthe-la'mpv mayy surround/themed troughl lil/fof the-fondi tendering machine. Th'eSt'eriiamp I is mounted' aboveetherlower endof thetfood trough `liti-so thats-none of theeultraviolet rays` emitted bythe Steriiamp `mayf gaindirectY loutlet l.through the f oodfitrough opening: l

Theioperationofa.foodtenderingemachinefcone templates:A the; insertion. oiga.; food. articlefinz the foodtrioughi fromwhence the foodr articleipasses betweenlth knifeassemblies.. Zgwhereait is'telrfil derize'dfi'i YTriepostonzof.,the ',Sterilamp iabovefthe knifeassembliesand the VU'L-shape of thezSterilann'r aroundthefoodrtrough I 9L resultsairr` both'sidesnf the food article being flooded with the raryssfro'nr the Sterilamp-lwhen 'theio'od;..artic1epassesffrbm the ttroughflg :intoi the knife'zassembliesdztanck destroys lrany id angerous lbacteriagorii similanl one ganisrnswhichiy may VHbe :lodged :upon: :the iifocnr` art-i'clei Int'addition,thezraysromtheiSterilanrp: flodtheff-interiorof theslmachinezsoiasitoadestmy any,=.bacteria:or'-similar'.organsmstherein; as-:on

i instance bacteria upon food particles which may have become lodged between the blades of the knife assemblies 20.

Occasionally it is necessary for the operator to open the cover I2 of the food tendering machine to gain access to the operating parts. When the cover is open, the ultraviolet rays from the Sterilamp will be free to escape from the housing of the machine. Since these rays possibly might be dangerous to the operator, either to his hands or eyes, or some other portion of his body, the Sterilamp is connected through a cover operated limit switch 23 which may be operated by any suitable mechanism, whereby it will be closed when the cover I2 is closed and opened when the cover I2 is opened. Occasionally such cover operated switches are used for the purpose of starting and stopping the operating mechanism of the food tendering machine, in which case one switch may be used to turn off both the Sterilamp and the operating motor when the cover is lifted. A copending application made by Hendrik Stukart, Serial No. 507,800, filed October 27, 1943, and assigned to the present assignee, discloses cover operated switch mechanism of the type which may be used for this purpose. In the present embodiment, a switch housing 2l is secured to the inside of the right wall of the base II and provides a housing for an olf-on toggle switch 22 and a limit switch 23. The toggle switch 22 is inserted between the power supply line 24 and the motor line 25 to the drive motor 26 of the food tendering machine. The limit switch 23 is placed in series with one of the wires from the toggle switch 22 to Ithe motor line 25. rlhe current supply to the Sterilamp is in parallel with the motor line 25. The toggle switch 22 is the main Voff-on switch of the machine, and the limit switch '23 is used as a cover operated safety switch. Opening either switch shuts off the current supply 4looth to the Sterilamp and to the motor and stops operation of the food tendering machine.

A bracket 2l is secured to the rear of the switch housing 2| and is supplied with a fulcrum 28 for a switch operating lever 29. The lower end of the lever 29 contacts an 'operating finger 39 upon the limit switch 23. When the operating finger 39 is depressed toward the switch 23, the switch is closed. When the operating nger 39 is released, a spring, mounted within the housing of the limit switch 23, forces the operating finger 3B outwardly and opens the switch. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the operating finger 39 is urged inwardly when the lever 29 is moved in a clockwise direction and is released when the lever 29 is permitted to move in a counter-clockwise direction.

. The lever 29 may be moved in its clockwise direction by an adjustable tappet 3l which is screwed into a nut 32. The nut 32 may be welded to a bracket 33 which is secured within the inner portion of the right-hand side of the cover. As the cover I 2 is raised or lowered, it carries with it the tappet assembly. A ferrule 34 is placed around the shank of the tappet 3i so that the entire tappet assembly may be guided into a hole 35 in the base il ofthe food tendering machine. This ferrule tends to hold the cover rigid when it is closed.

. The tappet 3l is adjusted so that when the cover is closed the tappet will urge the lever 29 in a clockwise direction sufficiently far to operate the finger 39 to close the limit switch 23. Opening of the cover l2 removes the tappet 3l from contact with the lever 29 and permits the internal spring within the limit switch 23 to move the finger 3) outwardly and to shift the lever 29 in a counterclockwise direction, whereby the limit switch opens.

A hand control knob 36 may be moved to the right, Figs. 5 and 6, to manually shift the lever 29 in its clockwise direction to close the limit switch 23. The hand control knob 36 is provided with an extension which extends through a slot 38 in the base I I and which is securely fastened to a slidable actuating block 39. The actuating block 39 is slidably mounted within a pair of brackets 49 and 4l which are secured to the base I I. This actuating block is provided with a ramp portion 42 which is adapted to contact the lever 29. Viewing Figs. 5 and 6, when the cover I2 is opened, the entire tappet assembly, including the tappet 3l, will be removed from contact with the lever 29 and the lever will be permitted to move forwardly, thereby opening the limit switch 23. If, under these conditions, the hand knob 36 then is moved toward the right, the ramp 42 on the block 39 will urge the lever arm 29 rearwardly, thus closing the limit switch 23 and reconnecting the Sterilamp and the drive motor of the machine.

In order to prevent any harmful effects to the operator which might result from a relighting of the Sterilamp, a hand operated oif-on switch 44 is provided in the primary circuit of the transformer 45 which provides the operating current for the Sterilamp. When the cover I2 is opened and the operator contemplates a restarting of the drive motor 26 through the operation of the hand control knob 36, the operator will first turn olf the olf-on switch 44 so that the Sterilamp I1 will not be relighted.

Occasionally the operator may forget to turn off the off-on switch 44 and may be injured' accidentally when he restarts the machine with the cover open. To prevent this, an alternative toggle switch 4B may be inserted in the line 49, 59 from the limit switch 23 to the transformer 45. The toggle switch 46 is supported on the inside of the base Il and is mounted below the block 39. The operating knob of the toggle switch 49 extends into an inverted U-shaped groove 4l on the lower side of the block 39. When the block 39 is in its left-hand position, the switch 46 is closed, and when the block 39 is moved to its right-hand position, the switch 45 will be opened. Accordingly, if the operator should move the hand control knob 36 to its right-hand position to close the limit switch 23, he will simultaneously open the toggle switch 46 so that no current will flow to the transformer 45.

The wiring diagram for the circuit which utilizes the additional toggle switch .46 is illustrated in Fig. '7. Current from the upper wire of the power supply line 24 goes through the upper element of the olf-on toggle switch 22, the line 43, the limit switch 23, and one of the wires of the motor line 25, to the motor 25. Current returns to the line via the other wire of the motor line 25 and the lower element of the off-on toggle switch 22 to the lower wire of the power supply line 24. In addition, power is supplied to the Sterilamp through a"circuit commencing with a wire 49 which receives its current from the limit switch 23. Current passes from the wire 49 through the toggle switch 46 and the wire 50 to one side of the primary of the transformer 45. The return from the other side of the primary of the transformer is by Way of wire 5|, the olf-on switch 44 and wire 52 to the lower element of the olf -on toggle switch 22. If it is not desired to take advantage of the additional safety kafforded through the use of the toggle switch 49, the switch 46 and wires 49 and 59 may be removed and may be replaced by wire 53, as is shown in Fig. 3.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacricing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In a food tendering machine a movable cover, a drive motor, ultraviolet ray emitting means, switch mechanism operated by the cover and adapted to disconnect the drive motor and the ultraviolet ray emitting means from a source of electrical power when the cover is opened, and hand operated auxiliary mechanism operable when the cover is opened and adapted to reconnect the drive motor to the source of electrical power and to simultaneously disconnect the ultraviolet ray emitting means from the source of electrical power, said auxiliary mechanism including an auxiliary switch in the electrical circuit to the ultraviolet ray emitting means, said switch being mechanically connected with the hand operated mechanism.

2. In a food tendering machine having a motor, food tendering means driven by the motor, ultra` violet ray emitting means adapted to emit rays on the tendering means to destroy bacteria, a movable cover adapted to house the operating parts of the machine including the tendering means and the ray emitting means, switch mechanism operated by the cover, a motor circuit, a ray emitting means circuit, said switch mechanism including a mechanically operated switch means adapted to open both the motor and the ray emitting circuits when the cover is open, and manually operable switch means operable when the cover is open and adapted simultaneously to close the motor circuit and to open the ray emitting circuit whereby the motor may be permitted to run but the ray emitting means will be functionally ineffective when the cover is open.

3. In a food tendering machine having a mov.` able cover, food tendering means beneath the cover, operating means to operate said food tendering means, ultraviolet ray emitting means for emitting rays on the tendering means to destroy bacteria, an electric circuit to control the operation of the operating means and the ray emitting means, a safety switch including mechanism opelated by the cover to control said circuit, auxiliary mechanism adapted selectively to render said safety switch mechanism partially ineiective, said safety switch mec anism comprising a manuaily movable member being so positioned within the machine that access thereto may be gained only when the cover is opened, a second switch in said circuit, mechanical linkage between said movable member and said switches and adapted to open the switch when the second switch is closed and to close said first switch when said second switch is opened, said first switch being closed at all times that the second switch is opened and closed by the cover operated mechanism.

In a food tendering machine having a mov able cover, food tendering means and ultraviolet ray emitting means beneath the cover, an electric circuit controlling the operation of the tendering and emitting means, a safety switch in said circuit and including mechanism operated by the cover, auxiliary mechanism adapted selectively to render said safety switch mechanism partially ineiective, said safety switch mechanism comprising a manually movable member being so positioned within the machine that access thereto may be gained only when the cover is opened, a second switch in said circuit, mechanical linkage between said movable member and said switches and adapted to open the rst switch whenever the second switch is closed by the manually movable member, but not to open the first switch when the second switch is closed by the mechanism operated by the cover, whereby the emitting means is inoperative when the cover is open regardless of the operation of the tendering means.

HARRY C. PFISTER.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the i'lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,827,530 LeGrand Oct. 13, 1931 2,020,250 Stephens Nov. 5, 1935 2,145,196 Biggs Jan. 24, 1939 2,181,293 Biggs Nov. 28, 1939 2,189,279 Bitner Feb. 6, 1940 2,245,837 Stoddard et al June 17, 1941 2,288,587 Kalischer June 30, 1942 2,346,685 Jackson Apr. 18, 1944 

